A level Review of Marking 2024

[Alex65]

DS was predicted 4A. He ended up with 4As but his 1st choice uni wants an A. He doesn't want to go to his insurance. He's off an A* by 1 Mark in music and 2 marks in History where the year group coursework was moderated down 4 marks. He's asked for a review of marking on 2 history papers and 1 music (the listening paper).
It's very strange that the one history paper he thought he did really well on is the lowest mark and brought his grade down along with 4 marks off the coursework. Everyone in his year bar 2 came down a grade in history and school wrote to them all to say they are appealing.
Trying to be really positive here...everything happens for a reason ect....but just reaching out on this forum for support from others in the same position or who've been through this stress before!
They are priority reviews.....do you know how long they take.....we know marks can go up and down....He's still done really well but it feels rotten that his university place is now hanging on 1 or 2 marks.

It takes up to 15 days for priority review. Reviewers will have started work yesterday.

Hi - no advice I’m afraid but we are in the same boat. Dd missed out on her first choice university as her English Lit grade dipped. She was 2 marks below the grade boundary so we have also put in for a priority review. The school were confused as the mark on one paper in particular was so out of kilter with the others and with what she’s achieved all through the course. She has secured a place at her insurance and has actually come round to thinking this might work out for the best (it’s been an emotional rollercoaster over the past few days) so I’m not sure it would change anything even if the review does result in a change of grade but it definitely feels like the right thing to do whatever. She worked so flipping hard and is gutted not to have achieved what she thinks she is capable of. Hope you hear about your son’s review soon - and that it’s good news! It’s so stressful isn’t it?!!

Exactly the same situation here. We've requested sight of the dud paper in the first instance as concerned that pages may not have been marked because it is so far out of kilter with every other component.

Luckily my daughter's first choice still accepted her despite one grade slip...school got the exam paper back yesterday and are going through it but on first reading to say the marking is harsh is an understatement...marker seems to have completely ignored the marking scheme and half the points she made on each question...I've also seen a chat online with Edexcel markers themselves saying they are given no guidance beyond the mark scheme document with many saying they are worried they are marking too harshly but have no guidance otherwise....this is not the way to bring down the grade expectation over time...

Thank you for your feedback. It's so tough on them all and so stressful for EVERYONE! We had music back which was one mark short...but it's no change. Like singing goldfinch one history paper was completely out of kilter with the others....so we've got to wait on that and the class moderation for the 2 marks to A*. Starting to look at a gap year.....all because of one mark! Seems nuts that's the system. I'll ask school about getting his papers back as its hard to know if he completely misjudged or the marking was harsh. It really helps hearing from others. Thanks

It definitely is really stressful for everyone!! Having said that we're not holding our breath for any changes but will be very pleasantly surprised if there are. We're in the fortunate position that dd is pretty happy with her insurance and I'm very grateful for that. Sorry to hear there was no movement on the music paper op - how frustrating. Can I ask what exam boards the other papers you're reviewing are with? I've read elsewhere that AQA often take longer than others and that's who dd's exam was through.

My dc got her firm Uni but is going to request a review on politics as one paper is very low. She’s just a couple of marks of grade boundary up. School have sent her scripts and marking seems extremely low on that paper - essays 13/30 whereas usually near full marks. She can’t understand it as it’s not a case of having a nightmare exam - it’s legible, structured, relevant facts.
I always regretted not having my history remarked at one mark off an A so I’m happy to pay.

We're ocr for history. His school think we shoukd hear this week. I really hope so as the mental health stress is debilitating to put it mildly. Saw a thread here last year about lack of consistency in the moderation of ocr course work....with quite a few schools complaining. Ours was marked down by 4 this year.....and school think thats unreasonable and has meant almost everyone in the year has gone down a predicted grade in history. But that appeal will take at least a month which will help for next year but not this. So for now dependant on the review of the paper he felt most confident about but did dreadfully in!
I'll post when we hear.
It's been very comforting to be able to share the concern!
Thank you again!

Does anyone know of the info schools get from the exam boards initially (or before requests for review etc) includes a breakdown of the mark given on each question?

Just wondering as am turning over all the different scenarios in my mind.

Thanks

The mark breakdown is by paper. You have to recall the script to get further detail.

Thanks. Something my DD's teacher said made me wonder but I didn't think they'd have that level of detail. Her second paper result is 40+ marks worse than the first (and she is usually a very consistent performer) so I'm wondering if an element was omitted from marking. I guess we'll find out soon!

I don't have access to my work laptop right now but I'm almost certain that I can see question level marks if I dig around in the system.

With AQA teachers with access can go to centre services on the website and get the marks for each student for each question. It is a bit of a faff to do but is very useful. Access was available from 8am om results day. Not sure about other boards.

We've got our History review of marking back. Really quick as it was only 4 days since Results. Grateful to OCR. Good news DS got the marks to take him up a grade to A star and is now off to his first choice. Interesting for those who end up in our position- school suggested we send 2 papers off to be reviewed. The one that was already marked highly came back with the extra required for the grade boundary but the one that he felt good about was unchanged. It was definitely work getting both looked at given a uni place depended on it.
Grateful this was resolved so quickly. Last couple of days been very stressful. Good luck to everyone else.

Glad yours is resolved. Hope ours is soon! Though school is having a look first, before we request any further review...

Re getting 2 looked at in parallel.
It may help with timescales but you run the risk of gaining marks on one paper only to lose them on the other ...

Pleased. Well done for persevering.

Excellent news @Alex65

Clearly our school not an outlier.
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/history-teachers-claim-a-level-coursework-grades-annihilated-by-moderators/

Out of interest, to those of you who are teachers, would you make it very clear to a student if you think they should or they shouldn't consider a review? Also, what is the maximum number of marks that a script has gone up by and more importantly reduced by?

Great news Alex65! So pleased your ds now has the result he obviously deserved! Congratulations! Interesting about the two papers. We have sent both dd's English Lit papers off even though one was more out of kilter with expectations - as advised by teachers on results day. We've not heard anything yet but I've heard AQA tend to take longer.

DS1 got 2 grades higher than expected! (Although we did have a really good tutor)
sadly he also got 2 grade lower than expected in computer science…..

We've not heard anything yet but I've heard AQA tend to take longer

That's likely because they have more candidates than the other boards.

Out of interest, to those of you who are teachers, would you make it very clear to a student if you think they should or they shouldn't consider a review?

Yes. I've told one of mine that under no circumstances should they get paper 1 looked at. I can't see it getting more, and could see it going down.

Sorry to jump on old(ish) thread. Does anyone know if marks have gone down significantly? DD currently in tears saying we shouldn’t have asked for two papers to be reviewed as she’s sure she’ll drop a grade. Needs 3 to go up and needs to lose 26 to go down?

Marks do go down as well as up, yes.